The responsibility for maintaining and repairing water pipes that carry water from the Council mains to your house is shared between the Council and the homeowner.
The boundary between public land and private property is the ‘point of supply’ where the Council’s water supply network connects to the private water network. At this point, the responsibility for ownership and maintenance of the water pipe passes from the Council to the homeowner.
The most common situation is where a pipe carries water from the Council water main or submain to an individual house, as shown in Example 1 below.
The responsibilities for maintaining and repairing the pipe from the Council main to the house are shared between the property owner and the Council as follows:
Example 1: Point of supply location for individual customers
Example only - Exact point of supply may vary
It is common for multiple units (e.g. town houses or a block of apartments) on a single property title (e.g. a Cross Lease or Unit title) to share a water supply pipe, rather than each unit having one of their own. Two common examples of this situation are depicted in Example 2 below. In both examples, each unit shares a single supply pipe (known as the ‘common supply pipe’), with individually owned ‘branch’ pipes connecting separately to each unit.
The responsibilities for maintaining and repairing the pipe from the Council main to each unit are shared between the unit owners and the Council as follows:
Example 2: Shared pipes in private property
Example only - The exact point of supply may vary.
Private Lanes or Private Rights of Way (ROW) are privately owned and usually have a common supply pipe running along the lane/ROW that services multiple properties (see Example 3 below). As the lane/ROW is on private property, the common supply pipe is a private responsibility.
The responsibilities for maintaining and repairing the pipe from the Council main to each property are shared between the property owners and the Council as follows:
Example 3: Shared pipes in a Private Lane or Private Right of Way
Example only - The exact point of supply may vary.
As common supply pipes with fire hydrants installed require special valve keys (which are owned and operated by the Council’s maintenance contractor) to shut off the water supply from the Council main, the Council assumes responsibility for maintenance and repair of any pipe or fittings installed in a Private Lane or Right of Way that require the Council isolation valve in the street to be shut off.
The responsibilities for maintaining and repairing the common supply pipe are shared between the Council and property owners as follows:
Example 4: Shared pipes with a fire hydrant installed in a Private Lane
Example only - The exact point of supply may vary.
Your solicitor should have advised you of your rights and responsibilities when you purchased the property. The Certificate of Title to your land should show the ownership of the water pipes and other services in your property, including those in any easement, such as a Private Lane or Private Right of Way.
Most lanes are privately owned – if you live in a lane but are unsure whether it is a private or public road, you should check the Certificate of Title to your land, which clearly marks the boundary between private land, public land and common land. You can also enquire with the Council.
The existing water supply pipework to a property is shown in blue on the asset network map. You can select the pipework to see who owns it.
The asset network map generally only shows Council-owned pipework up to the connection box and some more recently installed private pipework. Council cannot guarantee assets or ownership shown on this map are 100% accurate.
If you detect a leak on a section of pipe servicing your house that is either privately or collectively owned, a registered plumber can be engaged to fix the leak. If the pipe is in common ownership then you should talk to your neighbours prior to arranging for repairs to be carried out.
The plumber should be advised that the leak is private and not a Council responsibility. If the costs of repair are going to be shared by more than one homeowner, one person may have to pay the plumber’s invoice and recuperate the costs from the other homeowners who share responsibility for maintaining the pipe.
If you are having difficulties, a Council Technical Services Officer may be able to help or offer advice.
If you detect a leak on a pipe that you or your registered plumber believe is the Council’s responsibility, you can report a problem with the water supply.
The Council will help determine if it is public or private land and may send a maintenance crew to investigate the leak.
If the leak is located on private land, they will defer from making a repair and notify the person who contacted the Council about the leak to inform them that it is a private responsibility.